On New Year’s Eve, I wrote here of my fears over where the world is heading. Little did I know that only a few weeks later we would be facing up to a pandemic. 2020 has been a strange, lonesome year for many of us. I hope all my readers are doing as well as can be expected. If, like me, you’re a Lana Del Rey fan, it’s a great time to reflect with her new poetry book and spoken-word album, Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass.
Here in Brighton, our local museum and art gallery will soon reopen (fingers crossed!) with a photo exhibition featuring images of David Bowie in his glory days, captured by childhood friend Geoff McCormack. Per the new guidelines you’ll need to book in advance here.
Dreadzone were one of many great bands to evolve from sound systems back in the 90s – their ‘Little Britain‘ was a favourite track of mine back in the day. Now they’ve teamed up with London singer-songwriter Emily Capell for ‘Flamingo‘, a tribute to Christine Keeler and the Flamingo Club, where Lucky Gordon notoriously came to blows with Johnny Edgecombe (full story here.) It’s not the first time Christine has inspired the dub reggae scene – the Skatalites named a tune just for her.
While we’re on the subject, Christine’s son Seymour Platt has launched a website to honour her memory, featuring rare photos, personal stories, and updates on the ‘Mercy for Christine‘ campaign.
And finally, artist Roxana Halls – who also contributed to the recent Dear Christine exhibit – is offering limited edition prints of her Rosie the Riveter-esque painting, ‘Katie Tomkins – Portrait of an NHS Hero’, with 50% of the sale price donated to Watford Womens’ Centre, “who provide life-changing services for women to lead independent, productive and healthier lives.”